Two accidents cause I-94 delays

Semi-trucks involved in both Wednesday morning crashes.

Semi-trucks involved in both Wednesday morning crashes.

September 14, 2006|Tribune Staff Report

A pair of early morning accidents involving semi-trucks on eastbound Interstate 94 created four hours of traffic jams Wednesday, the Berrien County Sheriff's Department reported. The first accident occurred about 4:45 a.m. when a 75-year-old semi-truck driver, Hiram Beane, of Kalamazoo, reportedly fell asleep at the wheel at Nickerson Road in Sodus Township, a news release said. His 2002 Freightliner truck, which was hauling two 80,000-pound rolls of steel, drove off the road behind the guardrail into the backside of the concrete bridge supports for the Nickerson Road overpass. He was taken to Lakeland Regional Medical Center in St. Joseph, where he was treated and released with minor injuries. Police said the Michigan Department of Transportation inspected the bridge and said it was structurally sound. The county's Haz-Mat team assisted at the scene because the semi's fuel tank ruptured, spilling about 120 gallons of diesel onto the ground. As authorities were cleaning up at that accident scene, another crash occurred about 7:23 a.m. in the eastbound lanes at Michigan 139 in Benton Township, the release said. A 2000 Sterling semi-truck reportedly rear-ended a 1989 Ford Mustang that was reportedly slowing down because of the traffic ahead was stopped due to the earlier accident, the release said. The impact pushed the Mustang, driven by 53-year-old Stevensville resident Christopher Davis, more than 500 feet down the highway, the release said. When the car came to a stop both it and the semi, driven by Richard Walker, 58, of Goodlettsville, Tenn., burst into flames. Both drivers were able to exit their vehicles before they were fully engulfed, the release said. Davis was taken to Lakeland where he was treated for a minor head injury. Walker declined medical treatment, the release said. Walker told authorities he was looking up the road at the first accident scene and never saw the Mustang in front of him, the release said. Both semi drivers were cited for careless driving in the accidents.